Red: The Color Of Life
by sineapple
Summary: It was said that anyone who uses the Death Note shall neither go to Heaven, nor Hell, but to Nothingness. Although, hat happens to those who were murdered by the Death Note, does that rule also apply? Follow in The Afterlife, of Light, L, Mello, Matt, etc.
1. Preface

_Preface_

_**+++a**  
><em>

_Keh, keh, keh. _

A laugh echoed, almost mockingly.

**_"Humans are truly interesting."_**

Leaving a dead human sprawled against some rusted over stairs, the amused creature, which could only be described as a monster, flew away. It was actually feeling quite satisfied; Its boredom was finally relinquished.

The creature, or the **1shinigami, **slowly realized since that the human was dead; it meant that he couldn't havethe juicy, red apples anymore, which didn't exist where it came from.

The shinigami, formally known as Ryuk, was slightly disappointed, and decided to head back to its own realm, since there was nothing exciting to stick around for**.'It was nice while it lasted, Light,'** Ryuk thought, and laughed in mild amusement. Then he finally flew off into a gaping black hole into the dark sky, back to his own world.

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><p>Light, The dead human who was sprawled against the stairs, had multiple gunshot wounds... Although, It wasn't his true cause of death. In this case, Ryuk was in favor; He had a 'notebook of death,' or the 'Death Note' like any other shinigami. It was their murder weapon, and it was theirs' alone. Except, if they dropped it in the Human Realm; any human could pick It up and use it.<p>

The Death Note had various rules, but the main important one being, '**The Human whose name is written in here shall die.' **Which unluckily, Light's name was. Being it an ironic death though; Light had picked up the Death Note on a somewhat normal, high school day.

He had watched it fall from the sky from his classroom, and was shocked by a notebook suddenly appearing from _nowhere. _It was Ryuk's Death Note that he picked up later on. And it was in Ryuk's Death Note that he wrote criminals' names in. Finally, It was in Ryuk's notebook, that his name was written in. Light wanted to be God. Light desired to purify the world of evil. And dying himself, was an awfully ironic way to go.

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><p>But One does not simply become God without a struggle, and that's exactly what happened.<p>

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><p>In the beginning, it had been noticed by the police that criminals were suddenly dropping dead from heart attacks. It was announced by the World's Greatest Detective, L, that he would solve and catch the one who was behind the criminals' deaths. Light secretly accepted the challenge, and swore to find out L's true identity and eliminate him by using the Death Note.<p>

It was a challenge indeed, since Light, who obtained the name as** 2Kira** to the public, took years of manipulation to dispose of the World's Greatest Detective and other possible threats.

But L, his true alias being L Lawliet, had several successors to take over his role. And in conclusion, after years of brawling against his successors, which ended having thousands of causalities, both criminals and the innocent, Light finally got caught in a trap, and was murdered right on the scene after being exposed as Kira in anempty warehouse.

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><p>Although, it was never announced to the world that the true identity of Kira was Light Yagami, or what happened to him, it was obvious that Kira had disappeared. It was a true genocide. Itself, being one-of-a-kind. And due to it being so special, it had left a strong impact on the world.<p>

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><p>Since most noticed that the 'God' was no longer judging criminals, more people started committing serious crimes, a tidal wave of disasters.<p>

But the simple word, Kira, hung around people's heads, and to some, it was terrifying, and to others, it meant salvation.

It was a scary night story to scare little kids. '_If you don't do your homework, Kira will come after you.' _

There were many secret cults that worshipped and wished for 'God' to return again and judge the wrong-doers.

Kira was a taboo, a conversation topic, a religion, and most importantly, a true legend.

**Kira.**

**...was Justice  
><strong>

**KIRA.**

**...was The Serial Killer  
><strong>

** KIRA!**

**...is THE LEGEND.**

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><p><strong>Vocabulary Time!<strong>

**1) Shinigami – **_ Japanese "Death God'_

_ In English, the closest translation would be the "Grim Reaper."_

**2) Kira - "**derived from the _Japanese_ pronunciation of the word "killer" _Wikipedia_

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><strong>

**Authors Note**

**Ahh, There's this happy feeling inside me. It's like a really heavy weight has been lifted. ****Do you know that feeling? You know, When you have uploaded a fanfiction that was meant to be shared a long time ago. Well, maybe, I might be the only one since I'm a horrible procrastinator.  
><strong>

**But I _do_ get to uploading at one point or another, so just stick with me. d((^-^))b**

**Anywho~ If you are thinking 'Oh? This is just a short recap of Death Note!' Then you, sir or m'am, are correctomondo. (Ugh. Never. Let. Me. Say. That. Again.)**

**Oh! Back to the reason why: ****I was allowed to do a book report about Death Note, and it was allowed to be a fanfiction! ****It only had to be a chapter long, but I decided to make this a full-blown 'What if' Afterlife-FanFic. I also have the second chapter finished but I'm deciding to upload that later on. So, if you want to see more, be sure to RATE AND REVIEW! I've never gotten one before, and it would make me awfully happy. It might also give me inspiration to write more and upload quicker! -cough- Review -cough- **

**RATE AND REVIEW ~~~ VVV**


	2. Death Then Nothingness

_**1**_

_**Death Then Nothingness.**_

**Black.**

**Dark-pitched. **

**An endless abyss.**

**Silence.**

**Sound doesn't belong here. **

**Thoughts don't belong here.**

**But somehow, there are both.**

Music's playing.

Sort of like a slow opera, but it's a sad tune, solemn.

A crying violin starts to **1**decrescendo, and the other instruments quickly follow in pursuit.

If possible, it gets slower and the sound gets softer until there is none more.

"_Kira!" _

A voice suddenly rings in my mind.

"_Yes, I am KIRA!" _

It rings so clearly, several clashing church bells going off like an alarm.

The voice fades away.

Leaving only silence once again.

The stillness stabs a pain into me.

An aftershock of shivers follow.

Fear.

That feeling racks my body.

I don't want it to be silent.

But a strange, muffled sound starts ringing again.

I hear someone laughing, if you can call it that.

"**Hmm…heh…keh, keh, ha, HA, HAHHH!"**

It's nothing like the soft music.

It was a dying laugh.

It morphed into sobs.

"**I don't want to die."**

"**I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"**

Please, make it stop.

It echoes. "**I DON'T WANT….DON'T WANT…TO DIE…TO DIE!**

Please, JUST MAKE IT STOP!

And then, as if I controlled it, all of it paused like a deathly song put to an abrupt halt.

The only way I could explain it was that.

I felt horrible.

A searing rapid shock, electrifies my body, making me convulse. 'That…that person.' My mind tries to comprehend it, to grasp to the concept. 'That voice…sounds like…Was that really me?' My thoughts naturally were mixed, and unbearably slow. Trying to put a sentence together was rather difficult, nearly impossible. 'I died' Realization hits me like a train at full force, knocking the breath out of me. 'It's not possible, I didn't want to die.'

'I couldn't die.'

Thrown off, I simply lie there, unable to move. 'Am I left to my thoughts?' I wonder incredulously. I try to open my eyes, and after several attempts, it doesn't work. But I come to realize soon that it's not that I can't open my eyes, but instead, it was so dark, that my eyes couldn't grasp any light. 'For the rest of eternity, am I really left here to repent in total darkness?' I stare into void, unknown how to react, but panic unknowingly consumes me, until my thoughts rush out, '_What did__** I**__ do wrong? It was my duty to rid the world of criminals, or those who didn't belong. I am God, so I shouldn't have been murdered. Everything was PERFECT! I WAS PERFECT'_

"I WAS PERFECT!" My voice cries out, trying to convince an unknown force_. 'Perfect…'_ Hopelessly, I get up, sort of expecting an invisible wall from preventing me to walk, but it's not there, so I limp lifelessly in a straight direction. I feel my face and feel a foreign wetness. I start to sob wretchedly as I walk, a pain is stabbing me every short step I take. "How…" My voice cracks and I hiccup. I suppress any thought, and bear the quietness as I walk. After going nowhere for what felt like an eternity, I collapse from exhaustion. I close my eyes, and shut them as hard as I can. I rub them. I slap my cheek. I pinch myself. Nothing works, this isn't a dream. After a few moments, I realize something.

I really am dead.

The darkness proves this much to me.

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><p><strong>Vocabulary Time!<strong>

**Decrescendo - It is a music term. Usually used in music to make sound softer.  
><strong>

**Authors Note**

**+++a**

**I'll give you this strawberry, if you review? **

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	3. Guilt In Nothingness

**Chapter 3 –**

**Guilt in Nothingness**

My back straightens and I lay prostrate on the ground and close my eyes. It's cold, and hard, but it's nothing too painful. If anything, it was reassuring. Somethingexists other than me in Nothingness. It is proof enough that I wasn't truly alone. 'Would Hell be any better?' Sluggishly, I think. I even walk on the thin lines to wonderwhat Heaven was like. 'Maybe Dad's there. Maybe instead of opaqueness like Nothingness, all they have is white-light.' Covering my face, and laughing miserably, I manage to whisper out, "Ryuk, you bastard." That shinigami stole away all chance of me entering either Heaven or Hell the day he dropped the Death Note right into my School Courtyard.

Encountering the Notebook for the first time, It wasn't as if I was going to leave it alone. It fell from _nowhere, _and I believed that something as dark, and suspicious as that couldn't possibly be some cheap prank. _Even_ if it was one though, writing a simple name in it wouldn't have affected anybody. It would only leave the same bitter taste in my mouth and remind me that the world was a rotten, filthy, and unjustified place. But when I wrote that measly, worthless criminal's name in the Death Note for the first time, I managed to save numerous hostages in a bank hijacking. I helped people; so who said I couldn't go as far as controlling them? I found solace in that thought, and finalized it officially when I met Ryuk. I would become Kira, and I would become Justice! I saved lives, so how is Nothingness justified? How is death justified?

I exhale deeply.

My mind drifts off once again and I think about an English saying. It went along of something with the lines as 'You never know what you have, until it is gone.' I found it quite idiotic at the time I learned it in elementary school, but now, it actually turned out to be quite ironic. 'Or was it sarcasm?' A bit baffled, I wonder. I dribble between the two: Telling sarcasm and irony apart was usually difficult to distinguish. Soon realizing though, all of it was pointless. Everything in the Living World was beyond my grasp. I turn around on my back and raise my hand, reaching towards nothing. I'm on a ground that stretches out endlessly. I'm in Nothingness. My jaw clenches, and my fists form tight balls as my death re-runs clearly through my mind. The sharp pain of bullets getting pierced through me, One by one, protruding my body unnaturally, sending a shock each time. Dark crimson quickly staining my shirt and covering me. Matsuda, that idiot, honestly shot me. Everyone. They were suspicious. Immediately, a name pops into my head.

Near.

That white haired L-look alike made all of the SPK suspicious of me. They all cornered me. My nails dig into my palms, and my teeth grind against each other lividly. The challenge simply wasn't the same without L, or so I thought. It wasn't until the end, the very last final breath I took; that I noticed Near had some equivalence against me. Seething, I hiss out,"Near, I ever were to meet you, EVER… let me murder you a million times over. With my bare hands, let me write your name." My mind wanders. 'What sort of death does he deserve?'

Near – Heart Attack

'**No, too simple.'**

Near – Stroke in the middle of the day.

'**That's amateur.' **

Near – Suicide by drowning.

'**Didn't I try that out with Naomi?'**

Near – Gets shot in a…

'**No. That's Misa-Misa's Style.'**

Near – Bone cancer….

I enjoy the last death. A slow death. Let him fear for his demise. Let him think that Kira caused it.

I shiver from the excitement, as I think of more deaths.

More

My breathing rate increases, and my heart pounds heavily in my chest.

Sweat droplets run down my face, and finally, I let out a sigh. Mu body collapses and white envelopes my vision.

My mind slows down. A feeling. A strange, uncomfortable feeling weighed my chest. 'I wonder what it is?; Slowly getting up again, I begin to walk in a constant, measured pace. '_One step, Two step, Three…' _I count languidly, just in English for slight entertainment. My shoulders sag lowly when I remember that I was dead. 'I'm no shinigami, I don't have a Death Note anymore.' My eyes are shut closed, but not from fear though. It's not as if I had any worry bumping into anything. It was only the habit of keeping my eyes open and navigating myself in light. Naturally, I feel around, still quite convinced that it was possible for me to bump into something.

It's not as if…

I do bump into something.

Actually, I step on something.

It was cushion-like, almost.

Two voices merge into one, and they both shriek, "Oww!"

The first voice belonging to me because as I walked, the cushion thing surprised me, and the instinctive action was to pull away. Falling backward, once again, I bumped into something solid, and sturdy. Both of these, made me topple over and fall onto my back.

The other voice…the other voice I wasn't too sure of. Wasn't this Mu? Aren't I supposed to be by myself?

Light begins to engulf me, a bright white color. Blinding my vision, I cover my eyes. A dark silhouette, now standing in the light, is the only thing I see. I scuttle backwards, the silhouette wasn't standing. He was…leaning over, hunched awkwardly.

"Oh, hi, Yagami-San."

+++a

**Guess who just appeared? **

**;3 **

**Rate and Review! VVVV**


	4. Meeting in Nothingness

**Chapter 4**

**Meeting in Nothingness**

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><p>When I was young boy, I decided that I'd always wanted to be a detective and work alongside my Dad.<p>

As I grew older, and as school grew harder _(according to my peers at least)_ something opened my eyes, and changed my views on life.

The dream of being a detective. . .

It ran out dry the day I saw Haruhi Fukimoto on Channel News 4, arrogantly sauntering out of a court house and dancing arrogantly. When I'd witnessed his joyous, disgusting figure, Time seemed to trudge against molasses, and my breath had stopped entirely. I had been following the news of Haruhi Fukimoto partly, via my Father. I knew the basics. I knew that he was going to receive punishment. There were no possible ways to avoid multiple murder charges. But his…happy-self…was smiling. He took off his aviators, and took off his brand-named coat, swinging it over his shoulder. It saying, '_I'm a free man.' _And then, he ducked into a black, official-looking Mercedes, driving off away from the cameras and the fuming crowd. Driving away from his rightful execution.

Yes. He was let free. All charges were lifted off his shoulders, and had dissipated into the thin air. He wasn't a criminal, by law. The thing I studied every day, like a sacrilegious child reading a bible, let a guilty man go. My law betrayed me. Later, after I'd come back from the trance-like day at school, I'd found out the only crime, according to the LAW committed under the name of Haruhi Fukimoto, was a DUI. When I figured that out, and let it finally sink in, angry tears fled my eyes and I screamed. That bastard had slaughtered children years younger than I, and the law did nothing. There was enough evidence for a definite death sentence.

So. Why was he allowed to go?

It took me days to find the solution after researching through books furiously and using the internet whenever it was available. With some trial and error, I found out he hadn't been the first to escape.

Like many others who committed equally heinous crimes, dare I say worse, Fukimoto shared similarities.

Haruhi Fukimoto had status. He had money. Truly, the only two things needed to escape laws' clutches.

Reality struck me across the cheek at only age 8. It leaving an invisible bruise behind. Reminding me that nothing on Earth was ever fair.

I stopped believing in equality.

For what was truly fair in a world that'd been constantly corrupted by dirtied human-nature?

Detectives? I factored them out as useless. Why are detectives needed when criminals can run away without punishment? When criminals can continue having their fun thoughtlessly?

But soon enough, the pursue of bloody challenges intrigued me once again, and I had resumed helping my Father like I had once innocently did as I naïve child with detective cases. Mainly due to pass the monotonous boredom. As I grew into a teen, I truth of Law still stuck with me. I knew that there were lies even in the judicial system. I knew that there were lies always brooding with detectives. I knew that I, myself, had too many lies. Lies stacked up like building blocks. Which got knocked over by a white-haired successor. Everyone had lies. Nothingness could also be a lie.

The person who stood in front me could be a lie also. A sick joke that Nothingness was pulling on me.

My eyes couldn't be mistaken though.

Standing, hunched over, and lending an outstretched hand to me, his body an epitome of light, L takes my own hand and tries to pull me up, grunting noiselessly in the process.

"You have to help me, you know?" He suggests in a slightly amused tone.

'_Amused?'_ I wonder, but I'm unsure to reply. So instead, I react and swat away his hand and scurry backwards on the floor.

L frowns.

"I don't know how you ended up here, Yagami-San, but it'd be nice to hear your side of the story. It's been awfully lonely where ever we are." He frowns a bit deeper when he notices the knocked over table and disarray, but he looks at me and smiles once again. He smiles.

My eyebrows furrow deeply. Threatening wrinkles on my, perhaps, now immortal face. "Yo…You died. I..I died." I stumble out, still in shock of seeing L.

"Ahh… Has it been so long since you remember the World's Great Detective? I believe I've already deduced that. Now… If you can, please tell me, how long has it been?"

I deadpan. It was an easy enough question to answer, but I wasn't even too sure what the answer was. So, I go for the next best answer.

"I died in 2012." L whistles uncharacteristically.

"Assuming, Kira was not yet caught? Or…" A pause.

"Was Kira caught? Or a better possibility, is among us now?"

He speaks his thoughts, and for once, I quickly let my façade break through.

L reads it perfectly.

"Ahh…" He drags out.

Then he backs away a few steps, no longer offering his hand and takes a seat, setting it up straight.

"It seems I have lost the battle then, right?" He holds the chair and sits in it, only in the way he can.

I don't respond.

He whistles again.

"Congratulations on Winning…Light Yagami…Kira."

_+++a _

__**A/N: Well… A better chapter will come up next. Can't say I'm really proud of this one. . **

**Oh! "EpicoolAwesome"…Anytime. xD **

**Annnywho. RATE AND REVIEW VVV**


	5. What Place in Nothingness

**3**

**What Place in Nothingness**

The silence covers us once again in like a sheet.

It's not until a few minutes or so until the sheet if finally pulled away.

"Not going to bask in your victory?" L questions, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

At first, I shake my head, but then I begin to think.

This is L.

I am _me._

I am _Light._

I am _Kira._

Why wasn't I acting like it?

Pulling up a chair, and sitting on it, I glance at L.

'_Remember. He's the one who threatened my world. He's the one who endangered my position. He's the one who dared a challenge__**. **__He's the one who lost. I am the winner! Therefore, I have to feel proud. After all. I…won!'_

But.

instantaneously, an ache of emptiness overcomes, and pokes at me. Reminding me. In technical terms, what _really_ happened. Of how much of a winner I truly am.

Trying to swat the feeling away, it begins to announce itself more.

My shoulders drop, and my frown deepens.

'_Near. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be feeling this. I would've….' _

I struggle.

'…_I would've become…God.'_

The last word sends a sharp ache through me, and the emptiness increases in size. I choke. It felt worse, like being inflicted with physical pain. But as soon as it started, it stopped.

Only leaving a hollow numbness left in its wake.

The fact flies around my face like a gnat and I finally respond to L.

"No. I lost."

My down-casted eyes widen a bit at my own admitted truth.

L observes me. "Didn't quite hear that."

My jaw clenches. "I lost." I try to say aloud. It comes out more of mumble though.

"Hmm?" L puts his hand to his ear.

At the similar antic, I try to smile, but my conflicting emotions result with a semi-twisted grin.

"I. lost." I try to say once more.

Pushing it, L bobs his head forth, while cupping his ear. "What did you say? Sorry."

"I SAID..." I get up. "I LOST!" My hands clench into furious balls, and I'm tempted to punch something. Sudden feelings rush into me. Anger. Annoyance. Loathing. Hate. Revulsion. Confusion. Dislike. Resentment. Fury. Misery. Gloom. Stupidity.

I was stupid. I was…idiotically naïve.

I blow up.

"I LOST TO YOUR IDIOTIC SUCCESORS! I LOST! I LOST THE BATTLE! I LOST THE CHALLENGE! I. I LOST TO NEAR! MELLO! MATT! I WAS WRECKLESS. I KILLED. AND KILLED. AND I WANTED TO BE GOD! BUT. I LOST!"

All pent-up emotion stays in my system, as I stand there with my locked shoulders, and my furious expression. My lips down-curved and mouth opened from breathing angrily. I'm sure I looked murderous, because I was. I wish I had my Death Note. I wished I could write everyone's name in it. But it was only wishful thinking. It would never happen again.

**+++a**

**A/N: ...Anywho… The chapters before this one? I lied. I loved all those previous chapters. **

**This one? Not. So. Much. I basically needed to update, and I had….a semi-writer's block? I knew exactly **_**what**_** to write, just not…**_** how**_** to write it. It seems my writing mojo has been stolen. I'll give a second strawberry if somebody can find it. ;P**

**Chapter Preview:**

"_I was biased. I am like those criminals I'd loathed. No. I was exactly like them." _


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